Non linear time, beach, spear fishing, construction and a Catalan (sort of) conversation. A mixed bag.

Is it just me, or have any of you out there noticed that time is not linear. They claim that the seconds tick by at a uniform speed, although Einstein I think differed here. One morning, you get out of bed, get into the kitchen, and your late for school. You got up at the same time, 7:50, but now, with no lunches made, no breakfasts eaten, and no one dressed, it is 8:55, and your toast. Then there are the other days. I had one this morning, an extreme one. Woke up at the usual time I managed to get, pour and DRINK my tea, made french toast for the kids for breakfast (a bizarre super-mom moment), and they had time to eat it, checked my e-mail, and did the laundry. By this I do not mean throwing it in a machine, we are getting one, but don't have it yet, so instead I drained the bath, wrung out all the clothing, refilled the bath and put it in to soak. Got myself ready to go out for the morning, as in I actually ate breakfast, and got my hair and teeth brushed, and even went to the toilet. Will miracles never cease. On top of this I got the dishes done, and sat and ate with the children. And we were easily in time for school. What the heck happened. I was definitely in my own little

 

(time warp if blo%&@$er doesn't post the picture) this morning. Weird.

Walked down to the beach again today, and on the way down I passed a track where people were doing walking laps. It is the only flat bit of ground in the town. The two people were walking different ways around the track, one clockwise and the other anti-clockwise, and chatting as they met at the ends. They looked like a married couple. Now the few times I have ever done anything like this, I have always walked/biked/run/bladded/skipped/whatevered with the person. It seemed very odd. Maybe a marriage preservation technique?

The beach was lovely, calm and warm, meandered along picking sea glass. I walk VERY slowly when I am looking because most of the glass here is very small. I look more like a toddler than a grownup. Step step. Stop. Stare, bend down, look hard. Pick it up. Stare at it. Rub it off. Slip it in a pocket. Step step...

I was having a lovely time. The glass tends to appear most often at the various tide lines, if the beach hasn't been picked over much, the very highest is best as you have a bunch of storm debris as well. I was contentedly walking out at the lower line, planning to walk back at the higher. Indeed I had just started back, and found three lovely large deep blue pieces, all in a couple of minutes when I heard a growling behind me. Some guy from the city council was going along with a tractor and a snowplow blade. He was zamboni-ing the tide line!!!! Right behind me!!! Now I know it is the guys job, but really, why is he burying shells, when he could have been picking up some of the used condoms, medical waste and feminine hygiene products that are spread on the beach this week. I mean really. He was called many and varied names (once he was past), and with great maturity, I stuck my tongue out at him when he couldn't see.

Really.

There was also a guy at the beach going spear fishing! Now the water is not CanadainJanuary cold, but it ain't warm...I dip my feet in every time, and it is cold. He had a spear, and a drogue, and a full wet suit with a hood. I would have loved to stay and see what he was getting, but I had to come back for the kids. Brrrrrrr.

Saw lots of work sites on my walk down and back. Construction is a good business to be in here. It is continuous. There are cranes everywhere. The difference is that here, they are driven by a remote. What a guy thing. There is no one balanced up at the top in that little cab with his porta-pottie, there is guy on the ground with a remote control. Like a giant video game. Now I know a lot of people who would so love to try that out. Some of them are even under 6.

Someday, someday SOMEDAY I will remember about the store hours here. I had the day all nicely planned out, go for a walk in the morning, lunch with the family, the kids have 1 to 3 off, and the husband 12:45 to 2, and then do the errands in the afternoon. Nothing but NOTHING is open till 5. Geez. Monkeys learn faster.

As a carry over from the many posts about diversity/multiculturalism, and interculturalism, Beth over at Books Etc. sent me this link to an article in today's globe and Mail about multiculturalism in Canada.

On a back-slapping, toot-your-own-horn kind of note: today was a red letter day, we had booked an interview with the principal of the school to answer some of those mysterious questions that build up when your child is going to school in a foreign language....and I did it ALL. IN CATALAN YAHHHHHOOOOOOOOO!

I only had to look things up in the dictionary three times, and my verbs are miserable, I must practice verb conjugations. The eldest is learning REALLY FAST, she is going to be better than me in about two weeks. I am delighted. (and also a little jealous. Ssssssshhhhhhhhh)